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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cap · kick · toast · leaves · foot · bay

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. cap — of ice
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. kick — in football
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cap — a hat
  14. foot — a measure
  15. cap — a lid
  16. toast — bread
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com